Medical marijuana-growing school in Spokane

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A Spokane school that teaches medical marijuana users how to grow their own calls itself the University of Spokamsterdam.

KXLY reports marijuana advocate Darren McCrea started the school to help patients learn how to harvest, store and use the plant as medicine.

Lesson One for nearly two dozen people at Saturday's class was conducted by defense lawyer David Miller who reminded users that while medical marijuana is legal under state law it's still illegal under federal law. The feds raided 20 Spokane medical marijuana dispensaries last year and 40 others shut down.

U.S. Attorney Mike Ormsby told KXLY last year they are interested in only busting growers with more than 100 plants or who operate near a school.